An Email from Rita
by jaausc
Summary: Sunny's sudden death must have been a shock to all. When we join the story in To the Altar, an unknown period of time has gone by. In this story, Rita reaches out to Shane and Oliver in the midst of this most difficult occurrence.


An Email from Rita

Shane was curled up on Oliver's sofa using her iPad.

He came into the room, tucked in next to her, and

handed her a cup of decaf coffee. Nestled together, he

resumed reading his Bible and absentmindedly playing

with the hair flowing over her shoulder.

After a few minutes of quiet contemplation, Oliver felt

Shane become tense and as he turned, he saw her

pointing at an email flashing on her screen.

He peered over and saw that it was from

_Owllover_.

"Rita?" he asked.

Shane nodded and looked at Oliver. Tears were quickly

gathering in her eyes. She clicked on the email and

handed the iPad to Oliver.

He hesitatingly and slowly used his new skill of scrolling

slowly down the page. Shane laid her head on his

shoulder and read along….

Dearest Shane and Oliver,

I am here with my Dad and Norman at the site where

Mom wanted her ashes scattered. I can hardly believe

this is real, but I am so grateful that Norman is here

with me. We are all holding each other up, and Dad and

Norman are bonding in a new and deep way. How I wish

it could have been otherwise… with Mom by our sides!

The weather here is clear and cool up on this vista near

the ocean. This was a special place that my Mom

especially loved. She and Dad spent so many happy

times camping here when they were young and later in

the Starcruiser.

I want to thank you both so much…you are both so dear

to me….I couldn't have a better brother or sister than

the two of you! Oliver, thank you for so calmly and

quickly getting Norman for me when Daddy called me

that day in the DLO. I don't know how you found him in

that maze of offices where he was having that internal

meeting, but it seemed he was beside me so very

quickly, thanks to you.

And Shane, how could I have gotten through that

unbelievable phone call without you beside me, holding

my hand and praying for me? I think God taught you to

pray that night near El Dorado Canyon so that you could

pray for me a few months later! It was so comforting

and still is when you email and text me your thoughts

and Bible passages that Oliver is sharing with you for

me. Thank you for just listening to me cry and crying

with me.

We saw the area where Mom and her friend Natasha

took off spelunking. I couldn't go down there and Daddy

had already been. Norman felt he needed to see it, so he

went down with the guide who kindly offered to show

him where they had been and what had happened.

When he came back, he was very quiet and simply said

he felt closer to Sunny having seen the area she loved to

explore so much.

We will be back home in a few days. Probably by the

weekend.

I want you both to know that Mom had shared with me

only really recently that she had come back to her faith

in God and Jesus several months ago. She had a peace in

her life that I do not remember seeing since I was a

young girl, and I know that it was genuine. I have real

hope that I will see Mom again in heaven! She really did

embrace that Jesus is the key to eternal life! I hope to

share this with Daddy and see where he is.

It's hard to imagine planning a wedding without my

mother, but harder still to even begin to imagine life

without her. They were so excited about the farm. Dad

seems determined to continue that in her name.

Norman also seems determined to learn about farming

and spending time with Dad.

Oliver, Joe has texted Dad a few times. Another blessing

in this is their budding friendship. Dad will really need

that, and Norman and I just love Joe!

Oliver, thank you for the verse that I am repeating and

reflecting on daily….The one where Jesus says, "I go to

prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place

for you, I will come again and receive you to

Myself…that where I am, there you will also be."

I love you both,

Rita


End file.
